Durham College & University Centre

 For the past 30 years, Oshawa has been home to the main campus of Durham College, the only post secondary education facility in Durham Region. Since its founding in 1967, the College has grown to accommodate the needs of 42,000 students; employ 1,000 full- and part-time staff; and generate $150 million into the local economy annually. The year 1996 marked an innovative educational metamorphosis, when the College launched the Durham College & University Centre, integrating college and university courses within one institution.

Now, in addition to pursuing post secondary college courses, Oshawa and area students can choose to study full time toward degrees in Arts, Science, or Business from York and Trent Universities without leaving the Region! Through special partnering agreements, classes are delivered by the universities, using support and administrative services provided by Durham College at the Oshawa campus.

Post secondary students find a widely diverse selection of courses available through Durham College & University Centre, which operates out of the main campus in Oshawa, plus several satellite locations, including Whitby, Uxbridge, Ajax-Pickering, and Port Hope. At the present time, Durham College offers dozens of full-time, post-secondary programs; Durham University Centre offers 3 university degree programs; business and skills courses number nearly 2,000; Business and Industry Development Services offers over 400 courses and certificate programs through the Skills Training Centre in Whitby; and the Productivity Improvement Centre makes available hundreds of public seminars and operates several evening certificate program courses. Durham College further serves the community by providing over 2,000 Continuous Learning courses in everything from Ear Candling and Aromatherapy to creating your own Internet website.

Long known for delivering “real world” education, Durham College has actively communicated with business and industry to initiate and adapt college courses that produce the types of workers employers need. Skilled trades people are still in heavy demand in the workplace, but now graduates trained in high technology disciplines are also required across the Region, as Durham’s economic base diversifies with additional telecommunications and computer-based firms taking advantage of the Region’s desirable business and personal lifestyles.

Students entering Durham College & University Centre attend the only educational facility in the province that delivers both. The concept of focusing on academics in a traditionally applications-based institution is a leading edge strategy for meeting the challenges in today’s workplace. In addition to tremendous support from the general public, business and industry in the Creating Futures Campaign (Durham College’s fund-raising effort started during 1996 to support the Durham University Centre), the Region of Durham committed to investing $350,000 per year from 1997 to 2001, in the belief that the project will inject a new vitality to the Region’s economic base.

Durham University Centre is a collaborative effort that epitomises president Gary Polonsky’s commitment to anticipating, planning for and thriving on change. The ultimate in flexibility, the new program allows students to take courses from either or both universities involved, enabling broad transfer credit possibilities. Articulation agreements are being forged between the universities and the college to allow college graduates to continue their education to obtain degrees, and university graduates to obtain college diplomas.

At Durham University Centre, Trent University offers courses leading to Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science Degrees in several areas, including Anthropology, Economics, Environmental and Resource Science, and Women’s Studies. The Bachelor of Administrative Studies available from York University enables graduates to pursue business-oriented careers or advancements in existing business positions in the private or public sectors.

Those who choose to pursue college courses find that the Durham College experience provides them with a competitive advantage out in the workplace, through cutting edge training methods and the unique Durham College “employer guarantee.” Education has always been considered a two-way street at Durham College, which provides specialised training services to employers with specific needs through its Skills Training Centre in Whitby.

Also at the Whitby campus is the innovative Business and Industry Development Services (BIDS), which was formed in August, 1996, to offer seamless training and consulting services. Combining the programs and services formerly offered through the Industrial Training Centre (ITC), the Ontario Skills Development Office (OSDO) and the Durham Management Centre (DMC), BIDS offers a one-stop service for employers and employees to find the training they need. BIDS offers over 400 courses and programs on topics from real estate to computer-assisted design and casino training, plus the convenience of an advanced interactive computer lab. Employers can seek training needs assessments and other consulting services, and training can be delivered at Durham College or at an employer’s premises.

The Productivity Improvement Centre (PIC) offers consulting and assistance to companies across the globe that want to implement quality assurance programs. During the past 10 years, the PIC has become the largest training group for ISO 9000 in Canada, and is currently the only facility in Canada offering comprehensive training in quality assurance and technical courses from start to inspection levels.

Hands-on is a basic motivating philosophy that forms the basis of the college curriculum. Because the lack of practical experience has been identified as the number one barrier to new graduates finding employment, the Durham College Career & Employment Centre initiated voluntary internship programs in addition to the field or clinical placements required for most of the college programs.

Students find the Durham College & University Centre experience to be a well-rounded one, with excellent sports, cultural, arts, recreation, research and leisure facilities available. Concerned with creating good citizens as well as skilled employees, the College encourages active involvement with the surrounding communities. Several Oshawa and area organizations continually count on Durham College students to help facilitate charity events, from Jump Rope for Heart, to raising money for support services for abused women and children.

According to the annual survey conducted by the College, 86.1 per cent of the 1996 Durham College graduates successfully launched their careers or went on to further education, representing a remarkable success rate. Dedicated to “educating you for the real world,” Durham College & University Centre represents a significant step in the future of education. When you live in Oshawa, you have one of the most sought-after post secondary educational institutions in the province at your doorstep!

You can link to the Durham College Internet website by clicking on the logo at the top of the page.